Dermatology >>>> Keloid scar - causes and treatment options

Keloid scar - causes and treatment options.

With tissue injuries, the regeneration processes may not always proceed correctly, and the cells that have come to replace the destroyed ones may not correspond to the characteristics of the epithelial tissue. In such cases, they speak of keloid scarring of the tissue and the formation of a keloid scar at the site of injury.

A keloid scar is a fibrous tissue that is formed by atypical fibroblasts that synthesize excess collagen and hyaluronic acid, which creates opportunities for an increase in the volume of the intercellular substance and is reflected in the appearance of the connective tissue formation.

Signs of a keloid scar:

the color of fibrous tissue at the site of injury changes in the palette from pale pink (almost white) to bluish and burgundy,
keloid tissue rises above the adjacent areas of the epidermis (bulges) reaching 0.2-0.3 inch,
in the area of the keloid junction, itching, burning, tightening may be felt,
sensitivity is disturbed,
elasticity in the area of scarring is disturbed.

The causes of incorrect regeneration processes, that is, the formation of pathological connective tissue instead of identical to the epidermis, can be, in addition to hereditary factors (genetic predisposition), related:

with immunodeficiency states,
with violations of the antiseptics of the wound surface and the development of purulent infection, and with it, traumatic tissue modification,
with incorrect maneuvers during suture joining - excessive tension of the wound edges when they are juxtaposed,
with hormonal disorders.

Keloid tissue is very different from the epidermis: it has no sweat glands, no hair follicles (which leads to impaired hair growth) and sebaceous glands. The elasticity of the keloid tissue is also compromised by the excessive amount of collagen to the detriment of elastin.

In the keloid tissue, innervation is disrupted, which leads to paresis in the area of keloid scars, a person may feel unpleasant symptoms at the site of the scar, characteristic of a poorly healing wound.

Depending on where the area of tissue with a keloid scar is located, there are also problems of an aesthetic nature, which in turn leads to psychological problems.

To date, there are methods for treating a keloid scar with conservative methods: injecting anti-inflammatory drugs (corticosteroids) and interferons (immunostimulants) into the area of the keloid suture. If it is impossible to cope with the external defects of the keloid formation, it is excised surgically, but taking into account the already existing new possibilities for creating conditions for the correct course of regeneration.

In order to prevent the formation of scar tissue according to the principle of fibrolizing, it is recommended to refrain from cosmetic procedures associated with a violation of the tissue barrier, avoid burns, punctures, abrasions, and, if necessary, surgical intervention in the tissue structure, warn the surgeon in advance about the tendency to form keloid scars.